Sarawak DAP chief blasts GPS, saying it has gone from kingmaker to 'kingbeggar'
Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen (above) fired a string of missives at the state's ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), saying that while it played a kingmaker role when Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was forming the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, it has now become sidelined.
In a Facebook live session yesterday Chong, who is Stampin MP, cited a number of issues such as the Covid-19 vaccine programme, the use of the word "Allah" and the delay in lowering the voting age to 18, in claiming that GPS was now reduced to being a "kingbeggar".
The Stampin MP listed four issues: the Covid-19 immunisation programme, the Batang Lupar Bridge project, the use of the word "Allah" and Undi18 (lowering the voting age in the country to 18) as the factors that demean GPS as "kingbeggar".
He claimed that GPS leaders were only voicing out their opinions outside the cabinet.
“Look at Undi18. It was supposed to take effect in July 2020, but recently the Election Commission (EC) said it would be implemented only in September 2022. (GPS chief component party) PBB expressed disappointment that the EC did not expedite the implementation of Undi18, so did Dr Sim (Kui Hian of SUPP), who asked EC to explain.
“You guys are in the cabinet, why are you making statements outside, asking EC to explain? It seems like their wishes were ignored by the PN government, and this kingmaker is nothing but 'kingbeggar' who can only talk outside, with no decision-making power within the PN government,” Chong said.
He added: “The youngsters should keep pushing for Undi18, it’s your right.”
The EC announced on Thursday that the new system would only be ready for implementation by September next year, despite the constitutional amendment being gazetted since 2019.
De facto Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan had previously stated that it was on track to implement the new policy in July this year.
The general election is widely speculated to be called after the emergency proclamation expires in August.
Chong also went on the offensive against GPS' Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi, saying it was ridiculous of Nanta to advise Sarawakians against seeking cheap publicity on the use of the word "Allah" among non-Muslims.
“Why can’t we discuss? Nanta is a cabinet minister and when the cabinet made the decision to appeal against the court decision to allow non-Muslims to use the word ‘Allah’, was he totally silent or did he agree to the decision?
"Did he object? If he objected, did he take any action to follow through that?" Chong asked.
On March 10, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur ruled that the government erred in issuing the 1986 ban on the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims.
The court allowed the legal challenge by Melanau Christian Jill Ireland.
In the long-running saga, Ireland initially instituted an action for the return of Malay-language Christian CDs and religious books seized by Customs officers at the Kuala Lumpur Low-Cost Terminal (LCCT), Sepang, in 2008.
Putrajaya has since appealed the ruling.
“Without the support of GPS, this PN government will fall definitely as they do not have the numbers.
"Why does this kingmaker (GPS) not exercise its power? So I said the kingmaker is no longer kingmaker but a kingbeggar,” said Chong.
On another matter, Chong called on the state government to disclose the number of Sarawakians who had been vaccinated against Covid-19 as well as its projection of the rate of vaccination in the state.
He questioned if the state government, which had earlier said it was looking at buying its own Covid-19 vaccines, was going to be able to carry out the immunisation programme swiftly and efficiently.
Yesterday, there was a spike in new infections in Sarawak (426), the highest the state has reported since the pandemic began in Malaysia.
The spike was due in part to a surge of infections in a cluster linked to the Semuja immigration depot (191 cases).
It was only the second time cases in Sarawak have exceeded 400 per day, the last being on March 19 (407 cases recorded). - Mkini
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